Wrench



A. T. FOWLES.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. I919.

Patented Nov. 30 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED T. FOWLES, 01? DALLAS, TEXAS.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 30, 192() Application filed October 13, 1919. Serial No. 330,268.

7 T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anrnnn 'l. FowLns, a citizen of the United States, residing at or outer ends through the handle end of the shanks and being closed by a member 5 which is substantially U-shaped and is mounted Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of on the end of the shank with its ends ex 15 Texas, have invented certain new and usetending into the grooves and the outer faces ful Improvements in Wrenches, of which of the legs thereof lying flush with the faces the following is a specification. of the shank and secured as at 6 to form a This invention relates to wrenches and suitable but removable stop, the purpose of particularly to that typeof wrenches emwhich will be hereinafter described. It has 5 1'0" bodying a fixed jaw, and a slidable jaw adbeen found expedient to form the jaw 2 at justable with respect thereto. an obtuse angle to the edge of the shank 1 Heretofore in devices of this character, (the movable jaw of course being similarly and particularly those embodying cooperamounted and shaped to function therewith) tive racks for effecting adjustment between in order to increase the leverage of the 15 movable and fixed wrench jaws, it has been wrench and also to permit of operation found that after continued use for a comupon objects in unhandy positions. Attenparatively short length of time that they tion is also called to the fact that the jaw no longer function on account of the wearmembers have openings 7 formed therein to ing out of the interlocking teeth on the reduce the weight of the wrench. 20' racks. It has also been found that the lock- Referring particularly to the construction ing'levers have a tendency to become disillustrated in Fig. 2, a collar 8 formed inplaced from a positive opening or closing tegrally with the jaw 3 for slidably mountposition, and it is consequently the object ing the aw on the shank 1, is struck or bent of this invention to eliminate these disadoutwardly on one side as at 9 to form a 25 vantages by improving upon the usual form housing for the leaf spring 10 which has of locking levers and incorporating readily one end removably secured thereto as at 11, removable racks in conjunction therewith and has mounted on its free end a rack 12 in order that they may be replaced when the for engaging a removable rack bar 13 seinterlocking teeth thereof become worn and cured in one of the grooves 4 as at 14. 3o inoperative. Furthermore, the housing is formed sub- With the above and other objects in view stantially wedge shape in cross section and as become apparent as the description proterminates adjacent a pair of cars 15 on the ceeds, the invention consists in certain concollar, said ears having openings formed struction, combination and arrangement of therein for receiving the shaft or pintle 16 9O 35 the parts that I shall hereinafter fully deupon which is mounted the operating or scribe and claim. locking lever 17 provided with a pair of For a full understanding of the invention, spaced cam lugs 18 and 18 engaging the reference is to be had to the accompanying rack 12 to move it to engagement with the description and drawings, in which: rack bar 13 in a manner hereinafter de- 40 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench scribed.

constructed in accordance with the present It will be readily understood from the invention. foregoing description that when it is de- Fig. 2. is a perspective view showing a sired to move the movable jaw relative to portion of the locking means broken away, the shank that the locking lever is raised 45 Fig. 3 is a detail of the terminal of the thus releasing the rack 12 from the rack lever. bars 13 on account of the action of the leaf Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the stop. spring 10. Having moved the jaw 3 into Corresponding and like parts are referred the desired position the locking lever is roto in the following description and desigtated on the shaft 16 until it lies in the 50 nated in the accompanying drawings by like grooves 4 flush with the suface of the shank. reference characters. Particular attention is called to the fact Awrench having a shank 1,provided with that one of the cams positively holds the a fixed jaw 2 and a movable jaw 3, is formed locking lever in an open position while the with longitudinal grooves 4 on each side of other cam positively holds it in closed po- 55 the shank 1 terminating at one end adjacent sition, it being understood that both cams the fixed jaw 2 and extend at their other cooperate in forcing the racks 12 into en- ,gagement with the rack bars 13, Where a and extends in the other of the grooves 4."

forms a closure only one cam lug is used slight movement of the locking bar in both an open position and a closed position would be necessitated on account of the fact that the necessary binding action would not be exerted, and this would also be true where an eccentrically mounted cylinder is used in connection with the locking lever for actiiiating the racks 12. Attention is further directed to the fact that the lockingtlever when in looking position for one of the grooves thus providing a very comfortable grip on the shank for the operator.

In order to guide the movable jaw and hold it securely in placea lug 19 is formed on the collar 8. opposite to the housing 9 In order to limit the rearward movement of the movable jaw is a removable stop 20. When either of the racks 12 or 13 become worn all that is necessary is to remove the screws or other securing means and replace them by new ones. In devices where the rack is made either integral with the shank or with one of the jaws this cannot be done.

When it isdesired tomove the jawventirely.

from the shankit merely remains to disengage the U-shaped member 5 from the shank and slide the jaw therefrom.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with; the accompanying drawings, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of my invention may be had, and while I have shown and described the device asembodying a specific structure, I desire that it beunderstood that such changes may be made in said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 7

Having thus fully described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A wrench lncludlng a shank having a fixed aw on one edge at one end and a longitudinal groove in one face, a rack detachably secured in said groove, amovable jaw having a collar sli dable on the shank, said collar being provided with a housing, a removable rack having a spring connection with the housing, a lever mounted on the collar, and a pair of spaced cams on the lever-for forcing one rack into engagement with the other to lock the movable jaw on the shank and to positively hold the lever in open or locked position,

'2. In awrench, a shank having a laterally extending fixed jaw at one end, and a longitudinal groove therein, a. removable rack mounted in said groove,-'a collar slidable 011 said shank and carrying a jaw for cooperation with; the fixed jaw, said collar having a housing arranged over said groove, a leaf spring mounted in said housing and secured at one'end thereto, a rack on the inner face of the free end of said spring to mesh with the rack in said groove, a bell crank lever fulcrumed in said collar over the rack carried by the spring, and means on said lever to hold the lever in looking" and unlocking positions.

3. In a wrench,- a shank having'a laterally extending fixed jaw at one end on one edge,- and a longitudinal groove in one face thereof, a removable rack mounted in said groove, a collar slidableon said shank and carrying a jaw for cooperation with the fixed jaw, said collar having a housing arranged over said groove and made wedge shaped in cross section, a leaf spring mounted in said housing and secured at one end thereto, a rack on the inner face of the free end of said spring to mesh with the rack in said groove, a bell-crank lever fulcrumed in said collar over the rack carried by the spring, and cams on said lever to hold the lever in looking and unlocking positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto. 7 I

ALFRED T. FOWLES. 

